The 6th (United Kingdom) Division is an
infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...
division
Division or divider may refer to:
Mathematics
*Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication
*Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division
Military
*Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...
of the
British Army
The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
. It was first established by
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister o ...
for service in the
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain ...
as part of the
Anglo-Portuguese Army
The Anglo-Portuguese Army was the combined United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, British and Portugal, Portuguese army that participated in the Peninsular War, under the command of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesl ...
and was active for most of the period since, including the First World War and the Second World War. The modern division was reformed on 1 February 2008, as a deployable two star Headquarters for service in
Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
during
Operation Herrick
Operation Herrick was the codename under which all British operations in the War in Afghanistan were conducted from 2002 to the end of combat operations in 2014. It consisted of the British contribution to the NATO-led International Security Ass ...
. The division was officially reformed with a parade and flag presentation at York on 5 August 2008 and then disbanded in April 2011.
It was reformed as 6th (United Kingdom) Division from
Force Troops Command
Force Troops Command was a combat support and combat service support command of the British Army. Its headquarters was at Upavon, Wiltshire. It was formed in 2013 as a re-designation of the previous Headquarters Theatre Troops. Force Troops Comma ...
in August 2019.
Peninsular War
The 6th Division was formed for service in the
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain ...
by
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister o ...
, it was present at the Battles of
Fuentes de Onoro,
Salamanca
Salamanca () is a city in western Spain and is the capital of the Province of Salamanca in the autonomous community of Castile and León. The city lies on several rolling hills by the Tormes River. Its Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritag ...
,
Pyrenees
The Pyrenees (; es, Pirineos ; french: Pyrénées ; ca, Pirineu ; eu, Pirinioak ; oc, Pirenèus ; an, Pirineus) is a mountain range straddling the border of France and Spain. It extends nearly from its union with the Cantabrian Mountains to C ...
and the
Battle of Orthez
The Battle of Orthez (27 February 1814) saw the Anglo-Spanish-Portuguese Army under Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, Marquess of Wellington attack an Imperial French army led by Marshal Nicolas Soult in southern France. The outnumbered Fr ...
.
Formation during the Peninsular War
The order of battle in summer 1813 was:
* Commanding General Lieutenant General
Sir Henry Clinton
* 1st Brigade: Major General Hulse (to November 1812)
**
1/11th Foot
**
2/53rd Foot
**
1/61st Foot
** 1 coy.,
5/60th Foot
* 1st Brigade: Major General Pack (from November 1812)
**
1/42nd Foot
**
1/79th Foot
**
1/91st Foot
** 1 coy., 5/60th Foot
* 2nd Brigade: Colonel Hinde (to November 1812)
**
2nd Foot
**
2/32nd Foot
**
1/36th Foot
* 2nd Brigade: Major General Lambert (from November 1812)
** 1/11th Foot
** 1/32nd Foot
** 1/36th Foot
** 1/61st Foot
** 1 coy., 5/60th Foot
* Portuguese Brigade: Brigadier General de Rezende
** 1/8th Portuguese Line
** 2/8th Portuguese Line
** 1/12th Portuguese Line
** 2/12th Portuguese Line
** 9th ''
Caçadores
The Caçadores (hunters) were the elite light infantry troops of the Portuguese Army, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Units of ''Caçadores'' – with features somewhat different from the original ones – continued to exist in the P ...
''
First World War
The 6th Division was a Regular Army
division
Division or divider may refer to:
Mathematics
*Division (mathematics), the inverse of multiplication
*Division algorithm, a method for computing the result of mathematical division
Military
*Division (military), a formation typically consisting ...
that was sent to France on 9 September 1914. It served on the
Western Front for the duration of the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, first seeing action in the
First Battle of Ypres
The First Battle of Ypres (french: Première Bataille des Flandres; german: Erste Flandernschlacht – was a battle of the First World War, fought on the Western Front around Ypres, in West Flanders, Belgium. The battle was part of the Firs ...
as part of
III Corps.
In 1915 the division moved into the
Ypres Salient
The Ypres Salient around Ypres in Belgium was the scene of several battles and an extremely important part of the Western front during the First World War.
Ypres district
Ypres lies at the junction of the Ypres–Comines Canal and the Ieperlee. ...
to relieve troops that had fought in the
Second Battle of Ypres
During the First World War, the Second Battle of Ypres was fought from for control of the tactically important high ground to the east and south of the Flemish town of Ypres in western Belgium. The First Battle of Ypres had been fought the pr ...
. The Salient was relatively quiet for the rest of the year, except for an attack on the chateau at
Hooge on 9 August.
At the end of July 1916 the division was withdrawn, having suffered 11,000 casualties, and in September it was attached to
XIV Corps 14 Corps, 14th Corps, Fourteenth Corps, or XIV Corps may refer to:
* XIV Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
* XIV Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial German Army prior to and during World ...
where it joined in the
Battle of the Somme
The Battle of the Somme ( French: Bataille de la Somme), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place bet ...
by attacking the German fortification known as the Quadrilateral. It captured this area on 18 September. They then participated in the attacks on
Morval and
Le Transloy
Le Transloy () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France.
Geography
Le Transloy is situated south of Arras, at the junction of the N17 and the D19 roads.
Population
Places of interest
* The churc ...
before being withdrawn on 20 October and moved into Corps Reserve. Total casualties on the Somme were 277 officers and 6,640 other ranks. In November the division moved to the relatively quiet
La Bassée
La Bassée () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.
Population
Heraldry
Personalities
La Bassée was the birthplace of the painter and draftsman Louis-Léopold Boilly (1761–1845).
Another native was Ignace François ...
sector, and in March 1917 it went to the
Loos sector where it conducted operations and trench raids around Hill 70.
![The Battle of Cambrai, November-december 1917 Q6273](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/95/The_Battle_of_Cambrai%2C_November-december_1917_Q6273.jpg)
It was withdrawn on 25 July, shortly before the
final assault on the hill. From reserve, it then went to take part in the
Battle of Cambrai as part of
III Corps. Four days after the battle ended, the division was withdrawn to rest at
Basseux. By February 1918 the division was manning the
Lagnicourt
Lagnicourt-Marcel is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France.
Geography
A farming village situated southeast of Arras, at the junction of the D18, D14 and the D5 roads.
Population
Places of interest ...
Sector and was there on 22 March when the Germans launched their
Spring Offensive which drove the division back and caused 3,900 casualties out of its 5,000 infantry. On 25 March the division was withdrawn to the Ypres Salient again as part of the
Second Army.
By September the division was part of
IX Corps 9 Corps, 9th Corps, Ninth Corps, or IX Corps may refer to:
France
* 9th Army Corps (France)
* IX Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
Germany
* IX Corps (German Empire), a unit of the Imperial Germ ...
and took part in the
Battle of Épehy
The Battle of Épehy was a battle of the First World War fought on 18 September 1918, involving the British Fourth Army under the command of General Henry Rawlinson against German outpost positions in front of the Hindenburg Line. The village ...
, participating in the general attack on
St Quentin and The Quadrilateral (not the same as the position of the same name attacked at the Somme (see above)) that began on 18 September and ended with the Quadrilateral's capture on the 25th.
The division's last two major assaults of the war were in October. On the 8th they captured
Bohain
Bohain-en-Vermandois ( pcd, Bohain-in-Vérmindos) is a Communes of France, commune in the Departments of France, department of Aisne in Hauts-de-France in northern France.
It is the place where the painter Henri Matisse grew up.
Etymology
Form ...
and on the 18th they took the high ground overlooking the
Sambre–Oise Canal
The Canal de la Sambre à l'Oise () is a canal in northern France. It forms a connection between the canalised river Sambre (Meuse basin) at Landrecies and the Oise (Seine basin) at La Fère. The canal is long, and has 38 locks. The junction m ...
that prepared the way for the
Battle of the Sambre.
[
]
First World War formation
9 September 1914
The 6th Division embarked for France on 8 and 9 September. It was commanded by Major-General J. L. Keir, with Colonel W. T. Furse as GSO 1. Brigadier-General W. L. H. Paget commanded the Royal Artillery, and Lieutenant-Colonel G. C. Kemp
G is the seventh letter of the Latin alphabet.
G may also refer to:
Places
* Gabon, international license plate code G
* Glasgow, UK postal code G
* Eastern Quebec, Canadian postal prefix G
* Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia, g ...
commanded the Royal Engineers.
* 16th Infantry Brigade (Brigadier-General E. C. Ingouville-Williams)
**1st The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment), formerly the 3rd Regiment of Foot, was a line infantry regiment of the British Army traditionally raised in the English county of Kent and garrisoned at Canterbury. It had a history dating back to 1572 and ...
**1st The Leicestershire Regiment
The Leicestershire Regiment (Royal Leicestershire Regiment after 1946) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, with a history going back to 1688. The regiment saw service for three centuries, in numerous wars and conflicts such as both W ...
**1st The King's (Shropshire Light Infantry)
The King's Shropshire Light Infantry (KSLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in the Childers Reforms of 1881, but with antecedents dating back to 1755. It served in the Second Boer War, World War I and World War II. In 19 ...
**2nd The York and Lancaster Regiment
The York and Lancaster Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that existed from 1881 until 1968. The regiment was created in the Childers Reforms of 1881 by the amalgamation of the 65th (2nd Yorkshire, North Riding) Regiment o ...
* 17th Infantry Brigade (Brigadier-General W. R. B. Doran)
**1st The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment)
The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in continuous existence for 283 years. It was known as the 7th Regiment of Foot until the Childers Reforms of 1881.
The regiment served in many wa ...
**1st The Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment)
The North Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, which was in existence between 1881 and 1959. The 64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot was created on 21 April 1758 from the 2nd Battalio ...
**2nd The Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians)
The Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians) was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 100th (Prince of Wales's Royal Canadian) Regiment of Foot and the 109th Regiment of Foot ...
**3rd The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own)
The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army formed in January 1800 as the "Experimental Corps of Riflemen" to provide sharpshooters, Reconnaissance, scouts, and skirmishers. They were soon ren ...
* 18th Infantry Brigade (Brigadier-General W. N. Congreve)
**1st
**1st The East Yorkshire Regiment
The East Yorkshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1685 as Sir William Clifton's Regiment of Foot and later renamed the 15th Regiment of Foot. It saw service for three centuries, before eventually being ...
**2nd
**2nd The Durham Light Infantry
*Divisional Troops
**Mounted Troops
***C Squadron, 19th (Queen Alexandra's Own Royal) Hussars
***6th Cyclist Company
**Artillery
*** II Brigade RFA
****21st Battery, RFA
****42nd Battery, RFA
****53rd Battery, RFA
*** XXIV Brigade RFA
****110th Battery, RFA
****111th Battery, RFA
****112th Battery, RFA
*** XXXVIII Brigade RFA
****24th Battery, RFA
****34th Battery, RFA
****72nd Battery, RFA
*** XII (Howitzer) Brigade RFA
****43rd (Howitzer) Battery, RFA
****86th (Howitzer) Battery, RFA
**** 87th (Howitzer) Battery, RFA
***24th Heavy Battery, RGA
**Engineers
***12th Field Company, RE
***38th Field Company, RE
Later in the War
; 16th Infantry Brigade :
* 1st Battalion, Buffs (East Kent) Regiment
* 1st Battalion, King's (Shropshire Light Infantry)
The King's Shropshire Light Infantry (KSLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army, formed in the Childers Reforms of 1881, but with antecedents dating back to 1755. It served in the Second Boer War, World War I and World War II. In 196 ...
* 2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment
The 2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment was an infantry battalion of the British Army created in 1881 by the redesignation of the 84th (York and Lancaster) Regiment of Foot in 1881. The battalion was in existence from 1881 until 1948, when ...
* 8th (Service) Battalion, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment
The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment was the final title of a line infantry regiment of the British Army that was originally formed in 1688. After centuries of service in many conflicts and wars, including both the First and Second World W ...
(''from 71st Bde. November 1915, disbanded February 1918'')
* 1st Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment
The Leicestershire Regiment (Royal Leicestershire Regiment after 1946) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, with a history going back to 1688. The regiment saw service for three centuries, in numerous wars and conflicts such as both W ...
(''to 71st Bde. November 1915'')
* 1/5th Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment (''from February 1915 to June 1915'')
; 17th Infantry Brigade (until 14 October 1915) :
* 1st Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
* 1st Battalion, Prince of Wales's (North Staffordshire Regiment)
The North Staffordshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, which was in existence between 1881 and 1959. The 64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot was created on 21 April 1758 from the 2nd Battal ...
* 2nd Battalion, Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians)
The Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians) was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 100th (Prince of Wales's Royal Canadian) Regiment of Foot and the 109th Regiment of Foot ...
* 3rd Battalion, Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)
The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army formed in January 1800 as the "Experimental Corps of Riflemen" to provide sharpshooters, scouts, and skirmishers. They were soon renamed the "Rifle ...
* 1/2nd (City of London
The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London fr ...
) Battalion, London Regiment (''from February 1915'')
The brigade transferred to the 24th Division in October 1915, swapping with the 71st Brigade.
; 18th Infantry Brigade :
* 1st Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment
)
, march = ''Ça Ira''
, battles = Namur FontenoyFalkirk Culloden Brandywine
, anniversaries = Imphal (22 June)
The West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) (14th Foot) wa ...
* 1st Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment
The East Yorkshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1685 as Sir William Clifton's Regiment of Foot and later renamed the 15th Regiment of Foot. It saw service for three centuries, before eventually being ...
(''until November 1915'')
* 2nd Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
The Durham Light Infantry (DLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1968. It was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 68th (Durham) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) and t ...
* 11th (Service) Battalion, Essex Regiment
The Essex Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1958. The regiment served in many conflicts such as the Second Boer War and both World War I and World War II, serving with distinction in all three. ...
(''from 71st Bde. October 1915'')
* 2nd Battalion, Sherwood Foresters
The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence for just under 90 years, from 1881 to 1970. In 1970, the regiment was amalgamated with the Worcestershire Regiment to ...
(''to 71st Bde. October 1915'')
* 14th (Service) Battalion, Durham Light Infantry (''from November 1915, disbanded February 1918'')
* 1/16th (County of London) Battalion, London Regiment (''until February 1916'')
; 19th Infantry Brigade (until 31 May 1915) :
* 2nd Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers
The Royal Welch Fusiliers ( cy, Ffiwsilwyr Brenhinol Cymreig) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, and part of the Prince of Wales' Division, that was founded in 1689; shortly after the Glorious Revolution. In 1702, it was designated ...
* 1st Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
* 1/5th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
* 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment
The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1966. The regiment was formed, as the Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment), in 1881 as part of the Childers Re ...
* 2nd Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Argyll (; archaically Argyle, in modern Gaelic, ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and registration county of western Scotland.
Argyll is of ancient origin, and corresponds to most of the part of the ancient kingdom of ...
Originally an independent brigade before being attached to the division, the 19th Brigade moved to the 27th Division in May, 1915 and was not replaced, reducing the division to the standard three infantry brigades.
; 71st Infantry Brigade (from 11 October 1915) :
* 9th (Service) Battalion, Norfolk Regiment
The Royal Norfolk Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army until 1959. Its predecessor regiment was raised in 1685 as Henry Cornwall's Regiment of Foot. In 1751, it was numbered like most other British Army regiments and named ...
* 9th (Service) Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
The Suffolk Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army with a history dating back to 1685. It saw service for three centuries, participating in many wars and conflicts, including the First and Second World Wars, before bein ...
(''disbanded February 1918'')
* 8th (Service) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment (''to 16th Bde. November 1915'')
* 11th (Service) Battalion, Essex Regiment (''to 18th Bde. October 1915'')
* 1st Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment (''from 16th Bde. November 1915'')
* 2nd Battalion, Sherwood Foresters (''from 18th Bde. October 1915'')
The brigade joined from the 24th Division in October 1915, swapping with the 17th Brigade.
; Royal Field Artillery:
* II Brigade, RFA
* XXIV Brigade, RFA
; Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...
:
* 12th Field Company RE
* 509th (1st London) Field Company RE
* 459th (2/2nd West Riding) Field Company RE
Second World War
During the Second World War the division did not fight as a complete formation. On 3 November 1939 it was formed in Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
by the redesignation of the British 7th Infantry Division, under the command of Major-General R.N.O'Connor. On 17 June 1940 Divisional H.Q. became H.Q. Western Desert Force
The Western Desert Force (WDF) was a British Army formation active in Egypt during the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War.
On 17 June 1940, the headquarters of the British 6th Infantry Division was designated as the Western Des ...
. The Division effectively ceased to exist. The Division reformed in Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
on 17 February 1941, under the command of Major-General
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
John Evetts. From 7 to 19 April it was temporarily under command of Brigadier C.E.N. Lomax.
On 18 June, when command of the allied forces fighting in the Syria-Lebanon Campaign on the southern front were reorganised, the divisional HQ was placed under Australian I Corps to command the remnants of ''Gentforce'' (5th Indian Infantry Brigade
The 5th Indian Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was converted from the 9th Indian Infantry Brigade in September 1939, and assigned to the 4th Indian Infantry Division. The brigade fi ...
and 1st Free French Light Division). Two days later the division was joined from Egypt by 16th Infantry Brigade and on 29 June by 23rd Infantry Brigade. ''Gentforce'' force captured Damascus
)), is an adjective which means "spacious".
, motto =
, image_flag = Flag of Damascus.svg
, image_seal = Emblem of Damascus.svg
, seal_type = Seal
, map_caption =
, ...
on 21 June. For the rest of the campaign, which ended with the Vichy French
Vichy France (french: Régime de Vichy; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was the fascist French state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II. Officially independent, but with half of its terr ...
surrender on 11 July, the division was engaged with the support of Australian units in attempts to force the Damascus to Beirut road through the Anti-Lebanon mountains
The Anti-Lebanon Mountains ( ar, جبال لبنان الشرقية, Jibāl Lubnān ash-Sharqiyyah, Eastern Mountains of Lebanon; Lebanese Arabic: , , "Eastern Mountains") are a southwest–northeast-trending mountain range that forms most of t ...
the entrance to which was dominated by the high Jebel Mazar. Despite intense efforts Vichy forces maintained control of the position and the main allied effort was switched to the advance on the coast.
On 29 September 1941 Major-General Evetts left and Brigadier G.N.C. Martin took acting command. Eleven days later on 10 October that year it was redesignated the 70th Infantry Division, and Major-General Ronald Scobie
Lieutenant-General Sir Ronald MacKenzie Scobie, (8 June 1893 – 23 February 1969) was a senior British Army officer who fought in both the First and Second World Wars, where he commanded the 70th Infantry Division and later III Corps. He was ...
assumed command.[
]
Order of battle Second World War
* Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons) 25 Mar – 30 May 40
Artillery
* 60th (North Midland) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...
20 Jul – 30 Sep 41
Engineers
* 2nd Field Company, Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...
19 Feb – 30 Apr 41 & 29 Jun – 9 Oct 41
* 12th Field Company, Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...
20 May – 7 Jun 40, 5 Mar – 6 Apr 41 & 15 Jun – 9 Oct 41
* 54th Field Company, Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...
6 Mar – 7 Apr 41 & 11 Aug – 9 Oct 41
* 219th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is a corps of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces and is heade ...
29 Jul – 9 Oct 41
* 6th Divisional Signals Regiment, Royal Corps of Signals 3 Nov 39 – 7 Jun 40 & 1 Mar 41 – 9 Oct 41
22nd Infantry Brigade
6 Division 3 Nov 39 – 11 Mar 40 & 10 – 17 Jun 40
* 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards
The Scots Guards (SG) is one of the five Foot Guards regiments of the British Army. Its origins are as the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland. Its lineage can be traced back to 1642, although it was only placed on the ...
* 1st Battalion, Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army based in the county of Kent in existence from 1881 to 1961. The regiment was created on 1 July 1881 as part of the Childers Reforms, originally as the Queen' ...
* 1st Battalion, Welch Regiment
The Welch Regiment (or "The Welch", an archaic spelling of "Welsh") was an infantry regiment of the line of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1969. The regiment was created in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of ...
* 2nd Battalion, Highland Light Infantry
The Highland Light Infantry (HLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1881. It took part in the First and Second World Wars, until it was amalgamated with the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1959 to form the Royal Highland Fus ...
22nd Guards Brigade
The 22nd Guards Brigade was an infantry brigade of the British Army that saw distinguished active service during the Second World War.
History
The 22nd Infantry Brigade was formed by the redesignation of the 29th Infantry Brigade on 3 Septemb ...
6 Division 17 Feb – 6 Apr 41
* 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards
The Scots Guards (SG) is one of the five Foot Guards regiments of the British Army. Its origins are as the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland. Its lineage can be traced back to 1642, although it was only placed on the ...
* 3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards
The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the monarchy; due to this, it often participates in state ceremonia ...
* 1st Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
The Durham Light Infantry (DLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1968. It was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 68th (Durham) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) and t ...
14th Infantry Brigade
6 Division 29 Mar – 30 May 40 & 10 Jul – 9 Oct 41
* 2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment
The 2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment was an infantry battalion of the British Army created in 1881 by the redesignation of the 84th (York and Lancaster) Regiment of Foot in 1881. The battalion was in existence from 1881 until 1948, when ...
* 2nd Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)
The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The regiment was created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd Regiment of Foot, 42nd (Roy ...
* 2nd Battalion, Kings Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster)
* 1st Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment
* 14th Infantry Brigade Anti Tank Company
16th Infantry Brigade
6 Division 23 Mar – 7 Jun 40
* 2nd Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
* 2nd Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment
The Leicestershire Regiment (Royal Leicestershire Regiment after 1946) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, with a history going back to 1688. The regiment saw service for three centuries, in numerous wars and conflicts such as both W ...
* 1st Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Argyll (; archaically Argyle, in modern Gaelic, ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and registration county of western Scotland.
Argyll is of ancient origin, and corresponds to most of the part of the ancient kingdom of ...
* 16th Infantry Brigade Anti Tank Company
23rd Infantry Brigade
6 Division 29 Jun – 9 Oct 41
* 2nd Battalion, Black Watch
The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The regiment was created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment ...
* 4th Battalion, Border Regiment
The Border Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, which was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 34th (Cumberland) Regiment of Foot and the 55th (Westmorland) Regiment of Foot.
After service i ...
* Czechoslovak 11th Infantry Battalion
* 23rd Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company
Twenty-First Century
On 26 July 2007 the Secretary of State for Defence announced that a new 'HQ 6 Division' would reform to direct the International Security Assistance Force
' ps, کمک او همکاري '
, allies = Afghanistan
, opponents = Taliban Al-Qaeda
, commander1 =
, commander1_label = Commander
, commander2 =
, commander2_label =
, commander3 =
, command ...
's Regional Command South in Afghanistan. Des Browne said 'In order to meet these temporary demands we have decided to augment the forces’ command structure, and will temporarily establish an additional 2-Star deployable HQ. It will be based in York and will be known as HQ 6 Division, with a core of 55 Service personnel, drawn from existing structures. We will keep our planning assumption under review but currently we assess this HQ will be established until 2011.' Major General J D Page OBE took command of the new HQ with effect from 1 February 2008.
The new divisional headquarters, ''Headquarters 6th (United Kingdom) Division'', marked its formation with a parade and flag presentation in York 5 August 2008. It had a clear focus on preparing brigades for Afghanistan and was based at Imphal Barracks
Imphal Barracks is a military installation located in Fulford, York, England.
History
Cavalry barracks were built in Fulford as part of the British response to the threat of the French Revolution and were completed in 1795 but these have now bee ...
, Fulford, York
York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
.During summer 2009, the divisional headquarters was significantly reinforced and transformed into Combined Joint Task Force 6 before deploying to Afghanistan as Regional Command South
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
in November 2009.
The division headquarters closed in April 2011.
Afghanistan War Formation
:(November 2009)
Regional Command South
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
– Kandahar Airfield
Ahmad Shah Baba International Airport, also referred to as Kandahar International Airport ( ps, د کندهار نړيوال هوايي ډګر) and by some military officials as Kandahar Airfield, KAF) , is located about south-east of the city K ...
* 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland
The Royal Regiment of Scotland is the senior and only Scottish line infantry regiment of the British Army Infantry. It consists of three regular (formerly five) and two reserve battalions, plus an incremental company, each formerly an indiv ...
– regional reserve
Task Force Helmand
Task Force Helmand was the name given to a military unit of the International Security Assistance Force in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. Task Force Helmand was part of Regional Command Southwest and consisted primarily of personnel from the Briti ...
– '' British 11th Light Brigade''
* The Light Dragoons
The Light Dragoons (LD) is a cavalry regiment in the British Army. The regiment has a light cavalry role and specialises in mounted and dismounted reconnaissance. The Light Dragoons recruit mainly in Northern England, from the counties of Northu ...
* 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards
The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the monarchy; due to this, it often participates in state ceremonia ...
* 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards
"Shamed be whoever thinks ill of it."
, colors =
, colors_label =
, march = Slow: " Scipio"
, mascot =
, equipment =
, equipment ...
* 2nd Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment
The Yorkshire Regiment (14th/15th, 19th and 33rd/76th Foot) (abbreviated YORKS) is an infantry regiment of the British Army, created by the amalgamation of three historic regiments in 2006. It lost one battalion as part of the Army 2020 defence ...
* 3rd Battalion, The Rifles
The Rifles is an infantry regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of four Regular battalions and three Reserve battalions, plus a number of companies in other Army Reserve battalions. Each battalion of The Rifles was formerly ...
* Danish Battle Group 8
Task Force Kandahar
Task Force Kandahar (TFK) was the formation conducting the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission in Kandahar Province under ISAF Regional Command South. When it concluded its mission in summer 2011, the formation included a Canadi ...
– '' Canadian 1st Mechanized Brigade Group''
* 1st Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment
* 1st Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Task Force Leatherneck
Task Force Leatherneck or MEB-Afghanistan is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force that operated in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The name was originally given to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade during its 2009-10 operations for Operation Endur ...
– '' US 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade''
* Regimental Combat Team 7
** 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion
** 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment
** 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment
** 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment
Task Force Uruzgan
Task Force Uruzgan (TFU) was Australia's and the Netherlands' contribution to NATO's Regional Command South, International Security Assistance Force, in Afghanistan. The Dutch led one of the four Provincial Reconstruction Teams in the southern reg ...
– '' Dutch 11th Airmobile Brigade''
* 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
* 17th Armored Infantry Battalion
* Australian Special Operations Task Group
Task Force Zabul – '' Romanian 2nd Mountain Brigade''
* 280th Infantry Battalion
Task Force Stryker - ''US 5th Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division''
* 8th Battalion, 1st Cavalry Regiment
* 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment
* 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment
* 4th Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment
Re-formed in 2019
Force Troops Command
Force Troops Command was a combat support and combat service support command of the British Army. Its headquarters was at Upavon, Wiltshire. It was formed in 2013 as a re-designation of the previous Headquarters Theatre Troops. Force Troops Comma ...
was renamed as 6th (United Kingdom) Division on 1 August 2019, and formed up with sub-units consisting of 1st Signal Brigade, 11th Signal Brigade, 1st Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Brigade, 77th Brigade and the Specialised Infantry Group
The Army Special Operations Brigade (Army Spec Ops Bde) (previously called the Specialised Infantry Group) is a formation of the British Army, initially created as a result of the Army 2020 Refine reorganisation, intended to train foreign force ...
. As of 16 October 2020, 11th Signal Brigade has reassigned from 6th Division to 3rd Division as of 16 October 2020. It will sit alongside restructured 1st UK Division and 3rd UK Division under the Field Army
A field army (or numbered army or simply army) is a military formation in many armed forces, composed of two or more corps and may be subordinate to an army group. Likewise, air armies are equivalent formation within some air forces, and with ...
.
In later August 2021, the Specialised Infantry Group was redesignated as the Army Special Operations Brigade
The Army Special Operations Brigade (Army Spec Ops Bde) (previously called the Specialised Infantry Group) is a formation of the British Army, initially created as a result of the Army 2020 Refine reorganisation, intended to Military advisor, tr ...
.
See also
* List of commanders of the British 6th Division
The 6th Division was an infantry division of the British Army and was first formed in 1810. The division was commanded by a general officer commanding (GOC). In this role, the GOC received orders from a level above him in the chain of command, ...
* List of British divisions in World War I
List of military divisions — List of British divisions in the First World War
This page is a list of British divisions that existed in the First World War. Divisions were either infantry or cavalry. Divisions were categorised as bei ...
* List of British divisions in World War II
During the Second World War, the basic tactical formation used by the majority of combatants was the division. It was a self-contained formation that possessed all the required forces for combat, which was supplemented by its own artillery, ...
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
*'Orders of Battle Volume I United Kingdom and Colonial Formations and Units in the Second World War 1939–1945', Lieutenant Colonel HF Joslen. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1960.
External links
*
The British Army in the Great War: The 6th Division
A Short History of the 6th Division in WW1
{{DEFAULTSORT:06 Infantry Division
Infantry divisions of the British Army in World War I
Infantry divisions of the British Army in World War II
Military units and formations of the United Kingdom in the Peninsular War
British military units and formations of the Napoleonic Wars
Military units and formations of the British Empire in World War II
Organisations based in Wiltshire
Army 2020
Military units and formations established in 1812
Military units and formations established in 1914
Military units and formations disestablished in 1919
Military units and formations established in 1939
Military units and formations disestablished in 1940
Military units and formations established in 1941
Military units and formations disestablished in 1941
Military units and formations established in 2008
Military units and formations disestablished in 2011
Military units and formations established in 2019